The present invention relates generally to trailers pulled behind a motor vehicle, such as boat trailers and cargo trailers. In particular, the present invention relates to trailers including a novel apparatus for conveniently providing a temporary spare tire.
Boat trailers and the like are generally equipped with at least two inflatable tires. As is commonly known, inflatable tires may occasionally fail during use. For example, the tire may become punctured by a nail or other such object. A wheel may also become inoperative due to bearing failure, even if the tire itself remains inflated. Boat trailers are particularly susceptible to bearing failure, since the trailer wheels will often be submerged as the trailer is backed down a launching ramp.
When a wheel fails, it is generally necessary to stop the trailer quickly after the failure occurs. For replacement of both tires and bearings, a conventional jack is generally situated under the trailer frame to lift the failed wheel off the ground. The tire is then removed for replacement with a spare, or to allow servicing of the bearing. The trailer is lowered before the user can proceed to the desired destination.
It will be appreciated that on-the-spot repairs of this nature are often inconvenient, particularly in adverse weather conditions. In addition, many trailer operators will not have a spare bearing on-hand when a bearing failure occurs. In this situation, it will often be necessary to leave the trailer at the location where the failure occurred while a new bearing is retrieved. As a result, the trailer may be left unattended, giving rise to increased opportunity for theft or vandalism.